Print Page
City Nature Challenge 2024

City nature challenge, April 26-29, 2024; yellow flowers, Lake Michigan, and Chicago skyline in distance

The City Nature Challenge 2024 was a huge success worldwide! In the Chicagoland Region, we had more than 11,000 observations and 1,000 participants. To all of our partners who participated we thank you and your region thanks you. This data is incredibly valuable in assisting the great work all of the organizations who participated do in their communities.

We want to extend a special thank you to those who hosted City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region events, including Chicago Ornithological Society, Urban Rivers, Lincoln Park Zoo, Out In Nature, Illinois Science Council, The Nature Conservancy, Better Chinese American Community, Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve, Osterman Beach Dunes Natural Area, DePaul University, Joliet Junior College, and Evanston Ecology Center. Looking forward to 2025! 

City Nature Challenge Chicagoland Region 2024 Results

Whether you wander through a local park or forest preserve, explore a nearby river or stream, or look for wildlife in your backyard, you can help create and identify nature observations during the City Nature Challenge 2024: Chicagoland Region (Friday, April 26-Monday, April 29, 2024). 

Take part by sharing your photos of plants, animals, and fungi to the Chicagoland Region iNaturalist project, joining an organized event (see below), or helping other people with identification. Your nature sightings become data that help scientists and land managers better understand and protect nature for all of us. In 2023, people made more than 8,000 observations of 1,300 species in our region during the four-day challenge--including the first-ever documentation of a species of moss!  

Join iNaturalist project button

How to participate in the City Nature Challenge

Anyone can participate in the City Nature Challenge, whether on your own or by joining an event. To join, create an account at iNaturalist.org or download the iNaturalist app (App Store and Google Play). Share your observations of wild plants and animals to the website or app during the challenge timeframe: April 26 through April 29, 2024.

All observations in these counties count for the challenge:

  • Illinois: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will
  • Indiana: Jasper, Lake, Newton, Porter
  • Wisconsin: Kenosha

All observations made during the City Nature Challenge within these counties will automatically be added to the Chicagoland Region project. 

Get feedback and identifications on your observations from scientists, experts, and other naturalists. Results, including regional and global totals, will be announced on May 6, 2024. 

 

Attend a 2024 Event

Virtual

  • April 8, 5pm - 6:30pm
    Welcoming All Community to the City Nature Challenge: A Virtual Conversation about Accessibility     
    With tens of thousands of participants from all over the world, accessibility in the City Nature Challenge is so important and it can be overwhelming! Join CNC planning team member Sam Tayag, co-founder Lila Higgins, and longtime Washington DC Metro Area organizer Ana Ka'ahanui for a conversation with fellow organizers and city partners to explore accessibility in the City Nature Challenge. What can we do now, and what can we work toward to make the City Nature Challenge truly the largest bioblitz on the planet? In this conversation, we will: present a short slideshow of definitions and objectives, share resources (please bring your own to share if you’d like); discuss and brainstorm: barriers organizers and community partners may encounter in implementing accessibility, ideas to improve access now, goals to integrate access in the future. RSVP here.

Illinois

  • April 26, 6pm-7pm
    Wild Mile Plant ID Walk
    Join Urban Rivers on the Wild Mile, the world’s first-ever floating eco-park, to document some of the new spring growth! Our floating artificial wetlands are populated with native Illinois plants, providing high-quality habitat for a wide range of species. You might even get to meet some of the animals that call the Wild Mile home, like muskrats and herons! 905 W. Eastman Street, Chicago, IL (behind the REI). RSVP here.

  • April 26, 7pm-8:30pm
    Lincoln Park Zoo BioBlitz @ Night: Bats, Birds, & Bugs
    Schedule: 7:00 PM: Introductions and iNaturalist Tutorial. 7:15 PM: Moth & Plant ID. 7:45 PM: Bat & Bird Walk. 8:15 PM: Wrap Up & iNaturalist Submissions. We will be observing and collecting data on local species of bats and moths, as well as many other nocturnal or crepuscular species (species active at night and species active at dawn and dusk). Ulysses S. Grant Monument, 2045 North Cannon Drive Chicago, IL 60614. Register here. 

  • April 27, 7am-9am
    Burnham Prairie Bird Walk
    Join the Chicago Ornithological Society for a morning of birding at one of Cook County's best kept secrets. Expect a nice variety of migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, and early spring passerines. The exact meeting location will be emailed in advance to registrants. Free parking is available at the prairie's parking lot. This site is not accessible by public transit. Register here.

  • April 27, 7am-9am
    Northerly Island Bird Walk
    Join the Chicago Ornithological Society for a bird walk through Northerly Island. This restored prairie and lagoon complex in the heart of Chicago is a unique habitat home to a variety of sparrows, raptors, waterfowl, and much more. If we're lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of nearby nesting Peregrine Falcons in advance of our Year of the Peregrine program after the walk. Beginning birders welcome and loaner binoculars will be available.Northerly Island Visitor Center, 1521 S. Linn White Dr. Chicago, IL. Register here. 

  • April 27, 10am-12pm
    City Nature Challenge at Ping Tom Memorial Park
    There is nature all around us! Knowing what species in our city and where they are helps us study and protect them. Join Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community for a morning of capturing the nature in the city: from plants to insects and animals! Drop in anytime between 10AM and noon at Ping Tom Memorial Park, 1700 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL. Questions? Contact info@cbcaacchicago.org.

  • April 27, 10am-12pm
    Out In Nature - Bioblitz at Humboldt Park
    Come join OIN for a fun morning of cataloging nature in Humboldt Park! Get ready to explore the beauty of nature right in the heart of the city. This event is perfect for anyone looking to spend a day outdoors and learn more about the species that share the city with us.Let's discover the hidden gems of the park together and participate in the City Nature Challenge. We will travel on paved paths for most of the outing, moving about 2 miles over the course of the two hour outing. Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N Humboldt Dr, Chicago, IL. Register here. 

  • April 27 1:30pm-3pm
    City Nature Challenge Hike at Lighthouse Beach
    Evanston Ecology Center staff will teach you how to use iNaturalist on this fun, family-friendly hike, as we work together to identify as many types of animals and plants as we can! Meet at Lighthouse Beach, 2611 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL. Please register online or at 847-448-8256.

  • April 28, 9am-12:30pm
    Joliet Junior College Volunteer Morning and Bioblitz
    Come out to Joliet Junior College and look for wildlife on the Rock Run Trail. We will have both brush control and City Nature Challenge opportunities for participants during this volunteer morning. Please install iNaturalist on your phone prior to the event. 1215 Houbolt Road, Joliet, IL 60431. A map will be sent to registered participants with the meeting location on the JJC campus prior to the event. Space is limited for the brush control activity, register here. 

  • April 28, 10:30am-12:30pm
    Osterman Beach Dunes Natural Area Stewardship Day
    Join us in Edgewater at the lake for stewardship and community science at Osterman Beach Dunes Natural Area! Dive into the biodiversity of nature as we embark on an iNaturalist bioblitz, documenting the rich biodiversity of our urban oasis for the 2024 City Nature Challenge. Come be a part of something bigger, where every observation counts towards understanding and preserving the ecological wonders of our city. Don't miss out on this chance to connect with nature and contribute to meaningful conservation efforts! Contact ostermanbeachnaturalarea@gmail.com with questions. Meet at the south side of the beach house, just off Hollywood Ave. Register here.  

  • April  28, 10am-1pm
    Disc Golf Nature Challenge at Jackson Park
    Download INaturalist onto your phone and come help us document the biodiversity in and around the Jackson Park Disc Golf Course. You will be taking pictures of plants, trees, bugs, and animals to document what is in the area. This is an all ages event so bring your families and participate in some citizen science! 1971 Hayes Dr., Chicago. Meet it in the parking lot and we will begin there. Contact HydeParkDiscGolf@Gmail.com with questions . 

  • April 29, 6pm-7:30pm
    After Work Bird Walk at Montrose Point
    Join the Chicago Ornithological Society as we decompress from a long day at work and look for birds at the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary. We'll make our way at a leisurely pace around the magic hedge and possibly the dunes in search of any migrants hanging around and wrap up with plenty of time for dinner. Beginning birders welcome and loaner binoculars will be available. Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary west entrance, 200 W. Montrose Harbor Dr.
    Chicago. Register here. 

  • April 30, 6pm-8pm
    ID the Birds & Bees with ISC
    Learn what the City Nature Challenge is about, how to use iNaturalist.org to make identifications, and hang out with other citizen scientists! This is an indoor event hosted by Illinois Science Council at District Brew Yards (417 N. Ashland Ave, Chicago). A laptop recommended if interested in learning about using iNaturalist.org. Register at https://ISCandCNC.eventbrite.com

Indiana

  • April 27, 1pm-2:30pm
    iNaturalist Tree Identification Hike at Kankakee Sands
    Did you know you can identify trees with clues other than the leaves? Join The Nature Conservancy's Kankakee Sands Land Steward Carly Hlebasko for an up-close look at tree buds and bark on this slow-paced stroll through Conrad Station Savanna. Feel free to bring a tree ID field guide or your phone with the iNaturalist app to help with identification. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking Area, 725 N, ½ mile east of US 41, south of Lake Village, IN
    Register for this free event by contacting Jeanette Jaskula or call 219-869-1004.

  • April 27, 2pm-4pm
    Wildlife Smartphone Scavenger Hunt at Gibson Woods
    Suitable for ages 10+, explore Gibson Woods Nature Preserve as we learn about the wildlife that call it home through smartphone technology and the community science app, iNaturalist. Part of the City Nature Challenge-Chicagoland, we will take an easy, slow-paced hike to look at and collect data on wildlife along the trails, in hopes of recording at least 40 species. Bring your smartphones/devices with the free iNaturalist app downloaded. 6201 Parrish Avenue, Hammond, Lake, IN. Pre-registration required; please call 219-844-3188.

  • April 27, 8pm-10pm
    Notable Nocturnals at Kankakee Sands
    Curious what insects are flying around the Kankakee Sands prairie at night? We’ll use lights to attract insects to a white sheet for identification. Expect to meet many species of beetles, moths, flies, leafhoppers, and more. We’ll use iNaturalist to help with ID as we learn about these creatures of the night. Meet at 419 W CR 600 N, Lake Village, IN. This event is open to all ages and abilities. Register for this free event by contacting Jeanette Jaskula or call 219-869-1004.

  • April 28, 12pm-4pm
    Spring Ephemeral at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve
    Join the Save the Dunes team as we search for Spring Ephemerals, the elusive first blooms of the season, at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve. We will begin at noon but come any time between noon-4pm to help us document as many plants, animals, and blooms as part of the City Nature Challenge 2024. Meet at J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve, Chesterton, IN 46304, there are limited parking spots, carpooling encouraged. More information and RSVP on our Facebook event  or contact Em Racine. 

  • April 28, 1pm-3pm
    Wildlife Smartphone Scavenger Hunt at Gibson Woods
    Explore Gibson Woods Nature Preserve as we learn about the wildlife that call it home through smartphone technology and the community science app, iNaturalist. Part of the City Nature Challenge-Chicagoland, we will take an easy, slow-paced hike to look at and collect data on wildlife along the trails, in hopes of recording at least 40 species. Bring your smartphones/devices with the free iNaturalist app downloaded. Meet at 6201 Parrish Avenue, Hammond Lake, IN. Pre-registration required; please call 219-844-3188.

Wisconsin

Stay tuned for events!

Resources and Links

There are many ways to get involved in community science. Learn more in the resources listed below. 

If you live outside the project boundaries or can't participate during the City Nature Challenge, you can add your observations to iNaturalist at any time of year!

How to Make an Observation on iNaturalist using our Mobile App from iNaturalist on Vimeo.

Partners

  2024 City Nature Challenge partner logos

Contact

Interested in helping with regional organizing or have a question about the Chicagoland Region project? Contact cassi saari (Chicago Park District). Other questions or comments abou the global City Nature Challenge can be directed to the international organizers.